Trump says travel ban ruling is ‘tremendous victory’

Vindicated by the Supreme Court’s Tuesday ruling upholding his travel ban policy, President Trump called it a “tremendous victory” and a rebuke to the “hysterical commentary” from anti-Trump critics who’d accused him of religious hatred and racism.

The president also said the court’s 5-4 ruling was a reaffirmation of the extensive powers the Constitution and Congress have granted the president when it comes to national security decisions.

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a tremendous victory for the American people and the Constitution. The Supreme Court has upheld the clear authority of the president to defend the national security of the United States,” he said in a statement issued by the White House

On Twitter, meanwhile, he simply said: “SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS TRUMP TRAVEL BAN. Wow!”

The court, in its ruling, refused to hold Mr. Trump’s campaign-era anti-Muslim statements and his tweets against him, saying that his policy of restricting entry of citizens from some foreign countries was neutral on its face.

The justices said they weren’t ruling on whether Mr. Trump was right or wrong in his decisions — that’s a job for Congress and voters, they said — but rather affirming that he had the powers to do what he said.

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That decision could be a major boost as the president tries to battle against myriad lawsuits challenging his broader get-tough policy on immigration.

Critics over the past 17 months had compared the president to a tyrannical king, accused him of blind racism and predicted the courts would punish him for his policy.

Mr. Trump said they lost and he won in the case, and suggested the case should pave the way for his immigration policies.

“This ruling is also a moment of profound vindication following months of hysterical commentary from the media and Democratic politicians who refuse to do what it takes to secure our border and our country,” he said.